Sightjacking

Sightjacking explores the boundaries of perspective and the nature of gaze within the virtual space of Grand Theft Auto V through a unique mod that shifts the game camera’s point of view. Rather than following the protagonist, the camera switches to the perspective of the nearest NPC (non-playable character), allowing the viewer to experience the world through the eyes of random pedestrians, plane pilots, or even hares traversing the desert. Rendered from the eponymous mod, Sightjacking is a tribute to the game mechanics of Forbidden Siren, a survival horror game known for its innovative use of perspective to enhance the player’s sense of unease and disorientation. Sightjacking similarly plays with the concept of the “unreliable gaze,” offering alternative viewpoints that challenge the dominant perspective of the player character. The work also draws inspiration from avant-garde structural cinema, which questions conventional storytelling methods by manipulating the frame and visual structure to disrupt narrative flow.